Nine heat-resistant grades from 110°C HDT to 252°C HDT. Pick by service temperature, load profile, and chemistry envelope · we print each grade in-house with the calibrated nozzle + anneal cycle. 5-day standard lead time.
Heat resistant 3D printing service · UK · materials by HDT band · quoted in 6 hours.
"James handled the 3D printing for a functional heat resistant component we needed in batch production. He helped dial in the prototype first with their design service, then produced the final batch with really consistent results. Super fast 3D print turnaround and great quality across all the 3D printed parts. Will 100% be coming back."
"We needed a sit-in F1-car for an exhibition to showcase our new racing game. 3D Printing Express took our CAD, optimised it for strength and weight as we had no idea how it all worked! Turned out beautifully. They colour matched the finish and was looking like the real deal. On show day the cockpit ran non-stop, adults and kids jumped in. Multiple visitors asked who built it."
"We ordered a batch of 100 PA-12 parts from 3D Printing Express and could not be happier. Every part arrived consistent, dimensionally accurate, and ready for use straight from the box. The PA-12 gave us the strength and stability we needed for functional testing, with minimal post-processing required. Delivery was on time, communication was excellent, and their QC clearly made a difference."
HDT bands from cosmetic-heat (PC) up to PEEK-adjacent (PPS). All values per ISO 75 from the manufacturer TDS · cross-checked against the PDF.
According to the Polymaker PPS-CF10 TDS, the material reaches 252.5°C HDT @ 0.45 MPa per ISO 75 after the standard 125-130°C / 10-16h anneal · the highest HDT in our heat-resistant range. According to the Polymaker PA6-GF TDS, PA6-GF reaches 191°C HDT @ 0.45 MPa, the cost-effective glass-reinforced nylon for engine-bay-temperature service.
| Grade | HDT @ 0.45 MPa | HDT @ 1.8 MPa | Tg | Continuous service ceiling | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PPS-CF | 252.5°C | 133°C | 97.7°C | ~200°C | Aerospace, chemical-plant, V-0 flame |
| PPS-GF (230°C anneal) | 248.9°C | 219.6°C | 95.0°C | ~200°C | EV battery, dielectric high-temp, V-0 flame |
| PPS-GF (130°C anneal) | 236.3°C | 125.8°C | 95.0°C | ~180°C | Standard anneal · dielectric + V-0 |
| PA6-GF | 191°C | ~157°C | 70.4°C | ~120°C | Injection-mould-replacement, tough-when-wet |
| PA612-CF | 175°C | 125.4°C | ~50-60°C | ~110°C | Outdoor/UV-tolerant CF nylon |
| PA612-ESD | 157°C | 125.4°C | 41.8°C | ~90°C | ESD-safe soldering jigs, electronics handling |
| PET-CF (annealed) | 147.5°C | ~105°C | 79.3°C | ~100°C | Stiff CF composite, dimensional fixtures |
| PET-GF (annealed) | 133.7°C | 97°C | 59.5°C | ~90°C | Low-anisotropy GF composite, moisture-stable |
| PA12-CF | 131°C | ~80°C | ~50°C | ~90°C | Impact-tough nylon-CF, balanced engineering |
| PC-ABS | 111.7°C | 106.4°C | 109°C | ~95°C | Impact + heat enclosures, dashboards |
| PC | ~110°C | ~108°C | ~145°C | ~95°C | Transparent housings, light fixtures |
Star (★) marks the band winner. HDT figures are post-anneal where applicable (PPS, PET family). Continuous service ceiling is typically 20-50°C below HDT for sustained-load service · send the brief with service duration and load profile for a tighter recommendation.
Send CAD or sketch + max service temp + service duration + load profile + flame/ESD requirements. We confirm grade choice within 24 hours.
Fixed price + lead time + grade choice + anneal cycle plan. No design fees on standard quotes.
Hardened-steel nozzle for CF/GF composites, standard for PC family. Production-grade FDM with calibrated chamber + bed temperatures.
PPS grades: 125-130°C / 10-16h (or 230°C for high-HDT PPS-GF). PA family: 100°C / 16h. PET family: 120°C / 10h. Dimensional check vs CAD post-anneal.
Sent next-day courier from the UK. Documentation pack on request · material TDS, anneal record, dimensional report.
HDT @ 0.45 MPa is the lower-load value · the temperature at which a lightly-loaded specimen deflects a standard amount per ISO 75. Think of it as the cosmetic/light-service ceiling. HDT @ 1.8 MPa is the higher-load value · the structural-load ceiling. For continuous structural service, plan to stay below the 1.8 MPa HDT. For short-term thermal excursions or lightly-loaded parts, the 0.45 MPa HDT figure applies.
Tg (glass transition temperature) is the point where amorphous polymer chains transition from glassy/rigid to rubbery/soft. HDT (heat deflection temperature) is the point where a loaded specimen has deflected a standard amount. For amorphous polymers (PETG, PC, ABS), Tg ≈ HDT. For semi-crystalline polymers (PPS, PET, PA), HDT can be significantly higher than Tg because the crystalline regions continue to carry load above Tg until the crystallites melt at Tm.
PA6-GF (HDT 191°C @ 0.45 MPa) for cost-effective glass-reinforced nylon at moderate engine-bay temperatures. PET-CF (HDT 147°C annealed) at edge-of-envelope. For sustained service above 130°C, step up to PPS-CF or PPS-GF (HDT 236-252°C) · PA-CF nylons start to creep above 130°C continuous.
PLA · yes, modestly. Annealing semi-crystalline PLA at 80-110°C raises crystallinity and HDT from ~55°C to ~110°C, but parts shrink ~3% and become more brittle. PETG · no. PETG is amorphous · annealing doesn't raise HDT meaningfully. For heat above the 80°C PETG ceiling, step to PET-CF / PET-GF (semi-crystalline polyester, annealable) or to the PPS family.
PEEK is the next step up from PPS · HDT ~160-180°C, continuous service to 250°C. We don't currently stock PEEK because the £400-600/kg filament cost + £30k+ chamber-heated printer requirement doesn't fit our small-batch service model. For sustained service above 220°C, PEEK is the right material · we can refer you to a PEEK-specialist provider. For service below 220°C, our PPS-CF (252°C HDT) covers the same envelope at a fraction of the cost.
HDT is the deflection-under-load test point. Continuous-service temperature (the long-term operational ceiling) is typically 20-50°C below HDT for most polymers. For PPS-CF (252°C HDT), continuous service is ~200°C. For PA12-CF (131°C HDT), continuous service is ~90°C. For PETG (75°C HDT), continuous service is ~60°C. Send the brief with service duration and we'll spec the right margin.
Only for semi-crystalline polymers. Amorphous polymers (PETG, PC, ABS) have no crystallisation to lock in, so annealing them doesn't raise HDT meaningfully · just relieves residual print stress. Semi-crystalline polymers (PPS, PET-CF, PET-GF, PLA, PA family) can be annealed to raise crystallinity and HDT. PPS is mostly crystalline as-printed · its anneal is stress relief, not phase change. PET-CF/PET-GF need a true phase-change anneal to reach published HDT.
You'll hear back from our team within 24 hours · with grade recommendation, anneal cycle plan, and lead-time confirmation.